Zinnia TV Review: A Helping Hand for People with Dementia and Their Caregivers

Caring for a loved one with dementia can be challenging, but Zinnia TV is here to lend a hand! With its mix of educational, interactive, and calming videos, Zinnia TV is a wonderful resource for individuals with advanced dementia and their caregivers. This week, we’re diving into Zinnia TV to share what we love about it and what could be even better.

A client of ours has advanced Alzheimers disease and has a lot of paranoia, outbursts and is sometimes difficult to redirect. Using Zinnia TV’s videos of children laughing and baby animals has been a lifesaver in some of these distressful moments.

What We Love About Zinnia TV

Helpful Videos for Caregivers: We can all use some assistance when it comes to common challenging situations we encounter while caring for our loved ones with dementia. The educational videos are easy to understand and match well with techniques I already recommend, like therapeutic fibbing and handling medication refusal. Plus, Zinnia TV offers videos in multiple languages, making it accessible to more people.

Instructional Videos: When someone is living with advanced dementia they can forget how to do everyday things like showering, dressing, and brushing their teeth. The instructional videos slowly and calmly walk your loved one through the steps of these activities and others, hopefully triggering memories to assist in completing these tasks.

Fun Content: The interactive videos, like sing-alongs and games, offer fun activities for caregivers and their loved ones to enjoy together, creating conversation starters and building a sense of connection. 

All-Day Channel and Nature Videos: The continuous play feature provides a soothing background with various calming videos. Nature and animal videos are especially relaxing and entertaining. There are also entertaining videos that include children, travel locations, and different common hobbies. These channels can be customized to avoid specific triggers, making them very adaptable.

Routine-Establishing Videos: Videos like “sunrise” and “good morning” messages, along with bedtime videos like “sleepy animals,” help promote a comforting routine with the power of suggestion. These videos subtly encourage daily routines, which can be reassuring in the unpredictable world of dementia care.

Interest-Based, Faith-Based, and Reminiscence Videos: These videos are awesome for triggering happy memories and stories. The reminiscence videos with old commercials and antique toys tap into long-term memories, which can be great for engagement. Plus, the faith-based content offers a wide range of religious options, perfect for those who find comfort in spirituality.

What Our Team Says

Julia: “I love the instructional videos for caregivers. They provide practical, straightforward guidance for caring for a loved one with dementia.”

Shani: “I love the routine-based videos, so many of our clients lose their sense of time and these videos if played consistently can help create a natural rhythm to a possibly chaotic and challenging time.”

Jamie: “I love that it helps prompt conversations and keeps both the client and the caregiver entertained in a calm and low-stimulation environment."

What Could Be Better

More Engaging and Balanced Content: While the caregiver videos are informative, they can feel a bit dry. Adding more engaging content could make them more appealing, especially for those in the early stages of memory loss. It’s important to balance simplicity with respect, so the content doesn’t feel too basic or insulting. Also, the voiceovers in the routine videos can sometimes be uncomfortable and might not work for everyone.

Effectiveness of Daily Living Videos: I’m a bit skeptical about the effectiveness of activities of daily living videos. They might help during mealtime to stimulate appetite or thirst, but their overall impact can vary.

Technical Limitations: Zinnia TV’s compatibility is limited to certain smart TVs and streaming devices, which can be a barrier for some users. The need for someone else to set up the app can also be a drawback. Lastly, while Zinnia offers a lot of content in some areas, it lacks diversity in others, like sing-alongs and games.

What Our Team Says

Julia: “I wish there were more interactive content, including a larger variety of games and sing-alongs.”

Shani: “I wish the content was updated frequently so there was some change and diversity, more travel and hobby videos would be nice to keep it engaging and have it fit a wider range of people.” 

Jamie: “The music and sing-a-longs could be more plentiful, varied and professional but they are nice in a pinch if I need something to assist with redirection”

Overall, Zinnia TV can be a fantastic tool for caregivers and their loved ones with moderate to advanced dementia. With its vibrant array of videos, it can bring a touch of joy and calm to daily routines. Despite a few quirks, the overall experience is overwhelmingly positive. Ready to give it a try? Visit zinniatv.com for a free 7-day trial!

Remember, together...